When David Njoku returned to the Cleveland Browns' lineup against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, it was supposed to provide a big boost to the team's offense.
But when the Browns take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, they'll once again be without their former first-round pick, with the team making Njoku inactive for the contest.
Njoku's status as a healthy scratch comes as a surprise for a Cleveland offense that has failed to live up to lofty expectations through the first 13 games of the 2019 season. The Miami (Fla.) product caught just one pass for four yards in the Browns' 27-19 victory over the Bengals, which marked his first appearance since fracturing his wrist in a Week 2 win over the New York Jets.
Although Njoku's injury required surgery, it was expected that his return to the team's lineup would add playmaking ability to the tight end position that it had otherwise been lacking. In his absence, Stephen Carlson, Ricky Seals-Jones and Demetrius Harris will handle the team's tight end duties.
The Browns' full list of inactives vs. the Cardinals is as follows:
- WR Taywan Taylor
- S Eric Murray
- DE Olivier Vernon
- G Drew Forbes
- TE David Njoku
- TE Pharaoh Brown
- DT Justin Zimmer